


Of Death and Duty

by FlowerofAlganon23



Series: The dragon has three heads series [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rhaegar Won, F/M, Queen Lyanna, R Plus L Equals J
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:48:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25828444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowerofAlganon23/pseuds/FlowerofAlganon23
Summary: Queen Lyanna has a talk with her brother about the future...AU-Story: Rhaegar won.
Relationships: Rhaegar Targaryen/Lyanna Stark (mentioned)
Series: The dragon has three heads series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1882633
Comments: 7
Kudos: 37





	Of Death and Duty

**Lyanna**

Ned’s long face had changed over the last year. The youthful expression had been exchanged by a somberness that reminded her so much of her lord father that she couldn’t help but feel sadness and anger washing over her.

She hadn’t wanted them to die. That had all been a terrible mistake. All she had wanted was a choice.

And a choice she had made. A choice against Robert and against her father, who were both dead and gone.

Only Ned remained and Benjen, but he was far away in Winterfell.

And the Ned that came stumbling into her chambers didn’t even look like the brother she had known. His face was longer than she remembered, thin and hallow as if he had been afflicted by a terrible illness.

Lyanna herself had suffered a rather unpleasant delivery of her child. The child had been in the wrong position and without the capable master Rhaegar had found for her, she would have most likely bled to death.

Even so, she felt slightly dizzy as she pulled herself up and placed her naked feet on the ground. She only wore her nightgown, but before her brother, she had no fear to appear undecent.

Ned’s grey eyes were dark and icy, as he settled in the chair. She could see that his leg was hurt and that thick bandages were wound around it. Ser Arthur smiled at her and left them, closing the door behind him.

"You are alive, Lya,“ Nd said and sucked in a deep breath, as he regarded her more closely. He sounded surprised and angry. "You are truly alive.“

Lyanna nodded her head and tried to rise back to her feet, but her legs were weak like pudding. She could barely stand, but made her way over to the chair across the wooden table.

She sat down and exhaled deeply. There was a flagon of wine and two cups.

"Do you want wine?“ Lyanna asked.

Ned laughed. "I had a pinch of milk of the poppy. I rather hear the truth of this tale that was given to me by _your_ husband.“

Lyanna heard the bitterness in Ned’s voice, but she couldn’t bring herself to share his grief over Robert Baratheon’s death. Brandon and Rickard were a different matter, but not Robert Baratheon. Not after what he had dared to do at Harrenhall…

"It is no tale, but the truth. Rhaegar wed me by the Old Gods at the Island of Faces. I was not taken by force…I went willingly.“

Ned nodded his head and finally made use of the flagon of wine. He poured himself a cup and drank deeply.

Silence settled over them at that moment, but Lyanna felt only bitterness. At herself and the tears shining in her brother’s eyes.

"Why did you not tell me?“ Ned asked after he had drowned another cup. His voice was heavy and pitched. "You could have saved…,“ he began, but Lyanna had silenced him by placing her hand on his.

She squeezed it tightly, as she was shaking her head. „By the time, we found out about Brandon and father, the war had already begun. I was with child and Robert would have never forgiven such a slight. And there was also Aerys to consider. He had Rhaegar’s children and wife.“

"So you took us all for fools,“ Ned replied bitterly and pulled his hand away. "And allowed us to run to our deaths.“

Lyanna shook her head. Anger rang with guilt inside her chest, but her anger won over in the end.

"I do not know why Brandon thought me raped, Ned,“ Lyanna replied hesitaingly. „But I know that Rhaegar sent a carrier to Riverrun shortly after we met up at the Inn at the Crossroads. Then, he took me away to the Quiet Isle. The carrier was kin to Lord Darry. Do you know what happened to the young men?“

Ned’s face paled and her brother scratched his untidy beard. His hair looked even worse, but that was no surprise. Lyanna had no doubt that her brother had been treated better than the other prisoners, but most still viewed him as a traitor.

"Lord Hoster never spoke to me about such a carrier,“ Ned replied in utter disbelief. "I called _your_ husband a liar when he told me about it.“

„I am reckless and stubborn, Ned,“ Lyanna replied and searched his face across the table. "But I would never lie to you. I never wanted Robert, but I certainly didn’t want to see father and Brandon harmed. Do you think the boy might have gotten lost on the way?“

"I have no idea,“ Ned replied and started rubbing his temples. "This is all too much.“

Lyanna gave him a moment of peace. She knew he would need much more than that, but they all had their duties to attend to. Unpleasant duties Rhaegar gave to her. The duties of a queen.

Finally, Ned exhaled deeply and looked at her again. "Did you hate Robert so much that you would shun your duty?“

"My duty,“ Lyanna replied bitterly. "Was to find a good match. Well, I found myself a better match than my father could have ever hoped for. I believed he would accept it in time.“

Ned averted his gaze and rubbed his hands over his face.

"I cannot believe this,“ he said and looked back at her. His eyes were filled with anguish. "You do not even feel ashamed, do you?“

"For what?“ she asked defiantly. "For not opening my legs to Robert? For not wanting to spend the rest of my life in Storm’s End while Robert drinks and whores himself into an early grave? I tried to like him, Ned, but I couldn’t bear to lay with him…not after he tried to force himself upon me.“

Ned shook his head in disbelief. "Robert would never…,“ he trailed off.

"I doubt he would have remembered. He was very drunk,“ Lyanna replied and shuddered at the memory. "I got away before it could happen. I was a maid when I wed Rhaegar.“

Ned gritted his teeth. "You should have told me.“

"In hindsight, you are always smarter,“ Lyanna replied and met his gaze. Tears were burning in her eyes, but then heard the sound of the door and turned her head. It was the nursemaid, with her beloved babe. Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen. "But I was angry and you know me. I do not like relying on others. Besides, the contracts agreed upon and Robert and father had already settled upon a generous dowry. I also know from the accounts that our father had already taken out several loans with the Iron Bank. Rhaegar promised he would settle the matter and repay the dowery to Robert and pay father an even more generous dowery.“

Ned had long stopped listening to her, his grey eyes now resting on the babe in the nursemaid’s arms. Her babe had been born with the Northern looks. Only his eyes showed his Targaryen ancestry. Eyes that were a deep shade of purple.

"Don’t be afraid, May,“ Lyanna told he girl. "Bring the Prince here.“

"Of course, your grace,“ the lady replied and put the babe into her arms.

Lyanna smiled when she noticed that he was awake, his eyes wide open. He made a gurgling sound when she touched his cheek. Then, she showed him to Ned.

"His name is Jaehaerys Targaryen.“

"A fine name,“ Ned replied, his voice softer than before. "But how is it possible that you call him a Prince? The King is already wed.“

"I didn’t ask for the crown,“ Lyanna replied clutched her son to her chest. "But Rhaegar insists upon it. He thinks this arrangement is better than taking two wives at once. Otherwise, I would be just his whore and people might question the legitimacy of our son and our future issue. As for Princess Elia…she agreed to the arrangement under the condition that her children would remain Rhaegar’s heirs and that my son weds Princess Arianne once he comes of age.“

"A sensible arrangement,“ Ned replied coldly, his gaze still resting on the babe. "What about me? What will happen to me, Jon Arryn and Lord Hoster? What of Robert’s brothers?“

Lyanna had feared this question more than the others, but it needed to be done. She couldn’t bring back Brandon and her father, but she had to think of her son and his future.

"Lord Hoster will be stripped of his titles and sent to the Wall. His son Edmure will be a hostage,“ Lyanna replied and brushed her hand over her son’s fuzz of brown hair. „Jon Arryn will remain the lord of the Vale, but the marriage between him and Lady Lysa will be declared null and void. Stannis Baratheon will be sent to the Wall and Lord Renly will be a hostage. When he comes of age it will be decided whether he is worthy of the Stormlands.“

Ned nodded his head in understanding. He looked relieved. „What will happen to me?“

"You may go home,“ Lyanna replied. "But you must send Benjen here. And once your son is a little older I had hoped to welcome him here as my son’s companion.“

Ned was silent for a long time before he lifted his gaze to look at her.

„I only want to go home.“

…

**Author's Note:**

> I might write more in this universe. To be honest, I do not like Arianne x Jon, but I think it makes political sense that Dorne would expect something like this to secure Aegon's position as heir.
> 
> As for Elia not being queen. In the books, it is mentioned that Renly wanted Robert to set aside Cersei. Now, it was never explained what setting aside actually means, but I interpreted it as Robert taking Marge as his wife by common law and making her a queen while Cersei would lose her title. Doran Martell himself lives apart from his wife, though he never took another one. 
> 
> Please, take also into consideration that Elia might not have loved Rhaegar...We don't know how she felt about him given that George never gave us much information about her. I do not really see why she would waste her precious life living in the shadow of another woman when she can be in Dorne with her family. That said, her children are Rhaegar's heirs and Lyanna's children are behind them in succession. Elia can also see them at any time. It's not like she is banished or anything. Her relationship with Rhaegar is complicated and neither white nor black.
> 
> That said, I just do not see Rhaegar being able to have two wives at once. And Dorne certainly hates him, but then their army is not really able to put up much of an opposition to the Reach or the Lannisters, who are both allies to Rhaegar in this story due to other betrothals being promised: Aegon x Marge and Viserys x Cersei. Jaime also gets a free card out of the Kingsguard.
> 
> As for Robert trying to force himself upon Lyanna. I know a lot of people find him an amusing character, but he clearly had a problem with alcohol and women. Its quite clear that he raped and abused Cersei. I could see him try in a moment of weakness and I wanted to find a legitimate reason for Lyanna risk her reputation by marrying Rhaegar. As for the carrier boy disappearing...Well, who gained the most from the outbreak of the rebellion? In this story, Hoster had the boy killed and told Brandon that his sister was taken. Of course, he never intended for Brandon to commit suicide, but then Hoster didn't know that Brandon was a hothead. As for canon...I think Varys spilled some rumors that might have made Brandon believe this kind of tale.
> 
> Certainly, these are all just theories, but then George will probably never finish the books and thus I think fanfiction is all that I have.


End file.
